Stipe 2-7.5 cm long, 2.5-3.5 cm thick, central to occasionally eccentric in cap attachment, usually solid, equal to narrowed slightly at the base; surface typically glabrous, at first pallid to cream-buff, in age dingy pinkish-brown, vinaceous-brown or grey-brown; context firm, brittle, with similar color changes as that of the cap; veil absent.

Solitary or in small groups in mixed woods, probably associated with oaks; fruiting shortly after the fall rains.

Edibility

Unknown. This species is morphologically similar to the deadly Russula subnigricans of Asia and could contain the same toxins.

Comments

Russula cantharellicola is one of several dingy Russulas that redden or blacken with handling or in age. These include Russula densifolia, R. nigricans and R. dissimulans, whose tissues bruise reddish, then go grey to black, and Russula albonigra and R. atrata that blacken directly without an intermediate reddish stage. Russula cantharellicola is distinct from all of the above in that its cap and gill tissue only redden, sometimes darkening to red-brown or grey-brown, but never to black. It should be noted that these color changes occur slowly sometimes taking up to 15 minutes to a half hour. Russula cantharellicola often fruits close to yellow chanterelles, and is used by some collectors as an indicator species, much like Amanita muscaria is with Boletus edulis.